Electric amalgamator



Oct. 27 1925. 1,558,993

w. c. MCLAUGHLIN -ELECTRIC AMALGAMATOR Filed July 17. 192: 2 sheets-shear 1 Oct. 27, 1925.

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Patented Oct. 27, 1925.

UNITE Dl STATES WILIIIAIVIY C. MCLAUGHLIN, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC .AMALGAMATOR Application filed July 17, 1923. Serial' o. 652,170.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM C. MGLAUGH- LIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Amalgamators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved amalgamating and separating machine for preciousY metals. v

The object of my invention is to provide a machine in which the iron is removed prior to the amalgamation of the gold thus insuring a greater recovery.

Another object is to provide a machine which will separate the gold from the sand, with or without the presence of water.

A further object of my machine is to provide a machine which is simple in construction and eflicient in operation.

Further objects and advantages will be more specifically pointed out in the following detailed description.

In the annexed drawing to which my invention is illustrated I have shown the preferred form, but it may also be embodied in other forms, and in this application, I desire to cover my invention in whatever form it may be embodied.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my machine.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

My machine comprises a base 1, on the for ward end of which is mounted a hopper 2. This hopper empties upon the upper end of a plurality of inclined screens 3, which extend to a belt 4. The belt 4 travels over the drum shaped magnets 5, 6, 7 and 8, which are suitably journalled on the base 1. A pulley 9 is mounted on the shaft by the belt 10 from any suitable source of power. As the gold bearing sand is carried down the screens 3 and upon the belt 4, the iron in the sand is attracted by the magnets and is carried on the belt over the end magnet 8 and drops into the sump 11. A scraper 12 rests against the bottom of the belt 10 to extract any metal that may cling to the belt.

The .sand is conveyed forwardly by the belt 4 to a plurality of inclined screens 13, upon which mercury has been placed. The gold in the sand is partly amalgamated on the screens 13k and' from them falls into a bowl 14, in which a quantity of mercury has been placed and in which the gold is further amalgamated. An agitator 15 is mounted in the bowl 14 on a shaft 16, which is suitably j ournalled on the base 1. The, shaft 16 and agitator 15 are rotated bymcans of a chain 17, which encircles a sprocket 18 on the shaft of the magnet 8 and a sprocket 19 on the shaft 16. Thek agitator 15 rotates slowly and pushes the sand andl gold over the edge of the bowl 14 on to an inclined table 20. This table is supported at its upper end upon an arcuated shoe 21, which travels in a guide 22 in the base 1. The lower end of the table is pivoted upon a pin 23, which eX- tends into a slot 24 in the table. The table is rocked in the guide 22 by means of cams 25 and 26, which are formed on shafts 27 and 28, respectively, said shafts being suitably ournalled from the base 1. The cams alternately engage the table 2O and rock it in the guide 22. The shaft 27 is rotated from the jack shaft 29 by gears 30 and 31 mounted on said shafts, and the shaft 29 is driven through a chain 32 from the shaft 16. The shaft 28 is rotated from the shaft 27 through a chain 33 which travels over sprockets on the respective shafts.

A plurality of rifle bars 33 are positioned in the table 20, and extend outwardly at an angle from the center. l

Wells 34 are mounted in the bottom of the table 20 at the outer ends of the bars 33. These wells collect the amalgamatcd gold which is caught by the bars 33.

A sump 34 is mounted on the base 1 at the foot of the table 20, and is provided with a lip 35 which prevents the fine particles of gold from being forced out by thesand flow ing out of said sump.

Havingdescribed my inventionI claim:

1. An amalgamating and separating machine comprising a hopper adapted to receive the metal bearing sand, means to'separate the iron from said'sand, a plurality of mercury plated screens, and a separating table positioned below said screens, riflle bars in said table, and Collecting wells positioned l0 in the bottom of said table, and a sump at the lower end of said table, and an inwardly .projecting lip on said sump.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM C, MCLAUGHLIN. 

